Photo courtesy of Marcus Peel.
Howard Griffin Gallery is currently setting up “Perception,” the debut London solo show of Iranian painter and muralist Medhi Ghadyanloo. For this show, the artist will create a full-scale sculptural installation at the gallery space and exhibit a new body of work that is loaded with symbolism. During his stay in London, the artist will be creating a series of outdoors murals around the British capital similar to the ones he’s been creating in his hometown of Tehran.
Ghadyanloo started getting international recognition when his unique murals went viral. Working with Beautification Bureau of Tehran’s municipality, he painted over 100 murals in his hometown in the last 8 years, aiming to “beautify” the gray and polluted city. His surrealist works include play with perspectives, altered realities, and gravity-defying characters and scenarios, and often use optical illusions. Often incorporating nearby buildings and objects into his work, his murals dominate the landscape of Iranian capital.
Though technically similar, the subjects of his canvas works are much darker and more direct. Using a muted palette and empty landscapes, random floating or geometrical objects give a sense of unease to his work. His pieces carry a sense of uncertainty and tension. His visual minimalism suggests a failed utopia, which can be seen as a representation of a world-wide phenomenon as well as more focused critique of post-revolutionary Iran. The show will open on February 26 at Howard Griffin Gallery and will stay on view through April 2.
Photo courtesy of Marcus Peel.
Photo courtesy of Marcus Peel.
Photo courtesy of Marcus Peel.
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